OM…OM…OM… Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
God doesn’t receive -- HE only gives
Now we come to the second part of the details of the Kodai trip. Last week I
shared with you certain particulars relating to our trip to Kodaikanal and
Shirdi. I also remember talking about some experiences I had in Shirdi, for the
benefit of all of you. This week, we shall spend some time on the Kodaikanal
trip experiences.
A top engineer, who is in charge of the water project, brought a very big photo
album. He came close to Swami and said, “Swami, I want to present this album to
you.” Swami said. “Alright, you keep it with you.” The man said, “Swami, this
album is for You.” I want you to know the answer given by Baba.
Taking advantage of this situation, Baba conveyed a message to all of us. He
said, “If I accept albums like this, I would need so many buildings to
accommodate them!” Baba said, “Look here, I don’t take; I only give. I don’t
receive; I only give.” The presentation of the album may be a simple event, but
Swami took advantage of it to convey a message that God does not receive; God
only gives and gives.
I would like to share another experience with you. One gentleman came to
Kodaikanal along with Swami, and he wanted to leave the next day, if possible.
He wanted to return towards the end of the trip so that he could come back to
Bangalore along with Swami. We were all gathered, and the gentleman was waiting
for Swami’s clearance that he was free to go.
 Before he opened his mouth, Swami immediately looked at him and said, “Tomorrow,
by this time, you will be at your home.” The gentleman had not even reserved his
ticket or intimated that he was thinking of going, but Swami immediately
answered his request. The gentleman was very much surprised and said, “Swami, in
fact, I wanted to seek your permission to go; but You have also given the timing
of my arrival!” He was very surprised. That is Bhagavan!
let your pure heart be like a shawl, coVERING HIM
Swami wanted the boys to buy something for their parents, sisters or brothers.
He gave money to all the students to do some shopping. Before they proceeded,
Baba said, “In Kodaikanal, there are many Tibetan men, women, and girls. They
came all the way from Tibet and are selling woollen shawls, coats and sweaters,
and other woollen materials. They will be waiting for Sai Baba’s arrival. Seeing
you boys in white dress, all those Tibetans will be feeling extremely happy,
because they will have good business. They are the people coming all the way
from Tibet, so I want you all to go to those shops and buy whatever you want.”
Naturally, our boys went there and, seeing the white dress, the Tibetans were
shouting, “Aye, Sai Ram, come here. Sai Ram, sweater, come here. Sai Ram!
Shawls, come here!” They know all of the regional languages. They were so happy
to find these boys because it is ‘Sai season’. The boys purchased everything
they wished.
When they returned, one boy wanted to present a shawl to Swami, so he placed it
before Him saying, “Swami, this shawl is for You.” Bhagavan said, “I don’t cover
Myself with any shawls like these. I want your heart to be a shawl that covers
Me. I want to be covered by the shawl of your heart. Your heart is a shawl, not
a woollen shawl. I don’t want it.” That is what Baba said. These may be private
individual conversations, but they excite us. Listening to such sweet
conversations between Swami and students creates a sense of thrill and joy.
devotees find a place in the heart of GOd
Another boy came forward and said, “Swami, I brought a present for you.” “Em
thechinav?” Swami asked, “What did you bring?” The boy opened the box and took
out a beautiful, small idol of Meerabai. Swami said, “What? You want to present
Me Meera? It is not necessary. Meera is already there with Me, and in Me, with
Me.”
For the information of those who have not heard of Meera, I may tell you Meera
is a great devotee. Meera bhajans are most popular all over India and Swami
said, “Meera is with me,” meaning, the devotee finds a place in the heart of
God. “Meera is not outside; Meera is in Me, with Me.” It should be an earnest
prayer. It should be a sincere sadhana for every devotee to find a place in the
heart of Sai, so that Baba would say, “I have never forgotten you; you are
there.”
Swami met a newly married couple. Swami had performed their marriage and He
looked at the girl from the ladies’ side and said, “How are you? How is life?
How is your husband?” And then He said, “Does he remember Me?” The girl was
surprised, and didn’t know what to say. She kept quiet and Baba said, “It
doesn’t matter. Even if he forgets Me, it is important that he should not forget
you.” (Laughter) All these talks and conversations are full of wit, humour, fun
and frolic; yet they convey a message that gets deeply ingrained.
Swami is omniscient
Another interesting thing happened. Swami wanted the boys to exercise around the
lake in Kodaikanal every morning. Swami told those boys, “Look here, if you go
around the lake, six kilometres in diameter, it will be exercise, so that you
can eat more!” Swami was very particular that the boys should walk or jog
 around
the lake.
That day, Swami looked at the warden and said, “Have all of you gone for morning
jogging around the lake?” The warden said, “Yes, Swami, we all went around the
lake.” Bhagavan immediately said, “No, no, three boys did not join you. They
found some escape and they are still sleeping. I know.” These are the glimpses
of His Divinity that we get to know about by inquiring from others. He knows the
truth; it cannot be concealed or hidden from His Divine attention.
delve inside to find god
Swami presented so many gifts to all the people. Swami gave us basic
requirements like toothpaste, toothbrushes, tongue cleaners, soap, Turkish
towels, shaving sets, perfume, blankets, shirts, dresses, cameras and watches --
sufficient to fill an entire suitcase! Though we went with one suitcase, we had
to return with two suitcases – the second one being full of His gifts!
Swami presented us with HMT watches (Hindustan Machine Tools) that were wrapped
in small, beautiful black boxes covered in thin wrapping paper. He was giving
the watches, showing the watches, and talking to us. (He is God, you know. He
cannot give and keep quiet!)
He said, “Look here, this box is the body; on this box are written the letters
HMT. That represents the name of your body -- you are so-and-so, you are Rao, or
you are David. Your body is like the box and the name is like the brand written
here. The wrapper paper around the box is like the mind, which is closely
associated with the body. The watch inside is God.
“The watch inside is God, present within the box, which is the body, and the box
is covered by a white wrapper, which is the mind,” Swami told us. That simple
present carried this beautiful message. Whenever I listen to these things, I get
a shock. What a pleasant, beautiful interpretation this is! I derive greater
pleasure in knowing these details than from receiving the watch itself. A watch
you may get anywhere, but this interpretation is to be found nowhere else. Only
Swami can give this beautiful interpretation.
On May 6th there was a festive holiday, Eswaramma Day. On that day, Swami
distributed clothes and about 2,000 watches to about 10,000 people. To children,
He distributed slates, pencils, books, erasers, shawls, blankets, woollen rugs
and what-not. Each one must have received at least six gifts! They were heavy to
carry. And the prasadam was sumptuous—great, both in quality and quantity.
On the previous night, Swami had instructed the seva dal people about pulihora,
the hot stuff to be served the following morning. He was telling them how it
should be made: “Its smell should be so attractive that it should reach all
those who are gathering there near the lake. They should feel the smell. I
brought special rice for making pulihora from Puttaparthi. That special quality
of rice is called basmati rice. And it is quite loose.”
He told them again and again, “Be careful while making it, and use enough oil to
make it as tasty as possible, no compromise. When I am supplying the rice and
material, you don’t have to be a miser. Make use of everything.”
That day, right from morning, 8 o’clock till 12 o’clock, He was going around and
around the devotees. Usually, it is the devotees who will go around God in a
temple, but, surprisingly enough, here is God, who is going around the devotee.
Very interesting!
Swami did not feel tired at all. I could gather that He did not have even a
single drop of water from the morning, 8 o’clock till 12 o’clock. He felt so
happy distributing these things. On two other occasions, we also had
distribution of prasadam on a larger scale, in a similar fashion, full of love
and concern.
pray to him to have his eternal darshan
I wanted to draw your attention especially toward these things: There were no
regular formal discourses. In fact, there were none, except for one discourse
that Swami gave on Eswaramma Day. Bhagavan stayed there for twenty-four days and
he gave only one public discourse. But, please believe me, all the twenty-four
days were full of enthusiasm, full of laughter and full of smiles. How all the
twenty-four days passed so quickly, we do not know! It all appeared as if it
were two seconds, just like a flash.
All the devotees were extremely happy because Swami went around the devotees
both morning and evening, three times in the morning, three times in the
evening. Everyone got a chance to give a letter. Everyone got a chance to be
seated in the first row. I did not see any long face, nor any disappointed soul.
 Old files were also cleared. Those who could not give a letter to Swami for four
to five months in Prashanti Nilayam could give ten letters there in Kodaikanal.
So all devotees were full of joy because Swami was going around again and again,
morning and evening.
It is our good luck, good fortune, that Swami is now going around in His
wheelchair for the last three to four days in Prashanti Nilayam. We pray to Him
that He continue to do so. We are tired of car darshan, we are tired of tyre
darshan (Laughter), we are tired of driver darshan, because we want to have Baba
darshan! When Baba goes in His wheelchair around the line, it is really
fantastic. He has been doing so for the last few days. Let us all jointly pray
that He will continue to do so.
THE time to perform an auspicious task is right now
What I want to draw your attention to is this: In private conversations, in the
company of students and some chosen guests, we find some precious jewels in
Swami’s messages. One day He was talking about human action and activity.
Someone wanted to know when one should start doing any project. People look for
Thursdays, auspicious moments like 10 o’clock. Some say 10:05 is the auspicious
moment. How do you know it is really 10:05? Your watch is 10:05, your
neighbour’s watch is 10:10, the other man’s watch is 9:45 and Indian standard
time is 9:30 (Laughter). No two watches ever agree. But we want to look at the
watches and find out the auspicious moment to begin any important task or
program or activity.
Commenting on this, what Baba said applies to everybody. He said, “The moment
you start, the moment you get a noble thought or a sacred thought, that is the
auspicious moment. That is the time to take action.” If you want to do a good
thing, come on, do it when the thought arises, in that auspicious moment. You
don’t have to wait for a Thursday that will never come. You want to wait for
Christmas or New Year’s Day for the commencement of your project?
For the beginning of the good program you want to start, Baba said, “Thadeva
lagnam, sudinam. Chandra balam, tara balam.” Thadeva lagnam means “That is the
most precious moment”; Sudinam means “auspicious day”; Tara balam, Chandra balam
means, “That which has all the strength of sun and moon, which has all the
strength and benediction of the entire universe.” Therefore, this little message
droves home this point that, the very moment that thought arises to do a job or
undertake an auspicious project, we should take action.
sincerity and devotion grant us wisdom
A boy, who is working for his PhD program, said, “Swami, I have a question.”
“Yes, what is your question?” He asked.
“Swami, how does one develop shraddha (steadfastness, sincerity) and bhakthi
(sincerity and devotion)?” It is a good question. I don’t know if he developed
them after listening to the answer or not, but it is a sincere question.
The answer that Bhagavan gave is this: “If you have that feeling, that love, you
will develop these qualities. A kind of love, yearning, and desire for
fulfilment will naturally help you cultivate shraddha and bhakthi.”
Then Bhagavan said, “Shraddha and bhakthi will ultimately give you jnana, or
wisdom.” Jnana, or wisdom, is not a by-product. It is the culmination,
amalgamation, combination, synthesis of shraddha and bhakthi. Sincerity and
devotion together give us jnana, or wisdom, as explained by Bhagavan.
as are your looks, so is the scenery
One gentleman devotee asked a question out of emotion. (The names of devotees
who asked questions are not important; the issues are important. Though I
recorded their names, it would not be fair on my part to mention them in
public.)
The man was criticising the world: “Swami, the world is horrible; the world is
terrible. But, in Your presence, I am in heaven itself. The boys here are
models. But outside, we don’t find anything good.” He went on speaking like that
out of emotion. Our good God listened to him for a long time; naturally, one
should be given a long rope with which to hang one’s self!
He gave the gentleman much attention, and then He said, “No, no! You are wrong.”
“In the world, good and bad exist together,” Swami said. ”You claim that
everything is bad in this world. No, you are mistaken. There is also a lot of
good in society. It is unfortunate that you have not noticed it. Life is a
combination of good and bad. The world is a combination of good and bad.”
Swami went on to say, “Good has no value when there is nothing bad. It is only
bad that is contributing to the good.” And He finally said, “Good and bad depend
on time. Actually the Truth is beyond. Truth is neither good nor bad. It is
non-dual. It is only time that makes things look bad or good. It is your
attitude, in that particular moment, and your condition in those prevailing
circumstances—that is all.”
This sends a message to all of us that we should be aware that there is good
around. There are some who go around criticising and pointing out all that is
bad, saying, “He is bad; she is bad.” It is because you are sufficiently bad
that you see only bad. You are wearing coloured glasses that make everything
look bad.
If all you see is bad, something is bad with you. Get your eyes checked up. Etti
drishtiyo atti srushti – “As is the vision, so is the creation.” If your vision
is good, everything is bound to be good; and if your vision is bad, naturally,
everything will be bound to look bad. And the true reality is beyond. That is
the message conveyed in this particular story.
there is no need to fear to do his work
There is also another statement made by Bhagavan. One gentleman said, “Swami, I
know certain things, I know certain values; but I am not able to practice them
in my office. I am not able to put these into action in my field of work because
I have a lot of fear about what to do.”
Bhagavan mentioned two points here: “You don’t need to fear to do anything good.
You don’t need to be afraid to do anything that you believe in, when you have
deep conviction of the thing you are doing. Once you fear to do anything against
your own conscience, if you act against your conscience, against something bad
from your point of view, then that inner voice tells you. Otherwise, you should
not have any fear.”
And then Swami made another statement: “It is rather rare that good receives
support. A college student who wants to attend bhajans will not have any of his
classmates join him, whereas a student going to a cinema hall or a movie will
have a number of friends join him. Bad will have ample support; good will not
have support. But, whether or not there is support, remember always that you
will have the support of God. God within you gives support. You can proceed.
That’s what faith is.”
swami is the indweller in all of us
Somebody was in an ecstatically happy mood, and he said to Swami: “While you are
doing so many things, how is it that the world does not know? Outside, people do
little things, cheap things even, to which so much publicity is given. When very
few, negligible, minimal things are done, these acts are given maximum
propaganda or publicity. When you are doing so much for humanity, how is it that
the world does not know?”
Swami said, “Publicity is necessary when a person is different from another
person. Someone helps you. You and they are separate, or you are the receiver
and they are the giver. You two are separate. So, where there is dualism, where
there is separation, publicity and propaganda are needed. What I have done to
all of you needs no publicity, for I am not separate from you. You and I are
one. Where is the need for publicity?” said Baba.
“There is no need for publicity because you and I are one. If we are separate,
then there needs to be some propaganda. When I do it, it is My duty. It is for
My own pleasure. It is for My ananda that I do it.” And finally, He concluded,
“Truth does not need publicity. It is only untruth that needs publicity. Truth
is enough unto itself. Sun does not need any publicity. His light is enough.
Moon does not need any publicity. The moonlight is enough.”
Baba is the same Indweller in all of us. He and we are not separate, and are not
different.
unity is ONENESS with god at all times
I think you will be very surprised to hear the following statement from Swami.
It is the very first time I have heard such a statement from Him.
The theme was unity. In the past, He has spoken on unity many times; we all know
that. Particularly with reference to India, Bhagavan has said, “India needs
unity. There is no unity in India. Bharath is land of resources. It’s a land of
people – multiracial, multicultural and multilingual – people of talent and
excellence; yet the country needs unity. Where there is unity, you are strong
enough. Nothing and no one can attack you.” Bhagavan gave a number of examples,
which we have discussed on other occasions.
What has been our understanding of unity? That all of us live together without
differences – that is unity. Let us all live together with a common purpose.
That’s what Baba said earlier. However, this time He said something different
about what unity is.
This time He said, “The very feeling that God is within you – that you are not
alone, that there is within you unity with God, identification with God, an
awareness of God within you, the experience of God within you – that is true
unity.” That is what Baba said.
When I feel that I am alone, lonely, just one person with no support whatsoever,
that is disunity. When I know that there is disunity in me, then I know I am not
one. When I know I have got God within me, I know there is unity within me. What
a wonderful definition or interpretation this time! We should treasure this in
times to come.
whatever we give should be of use to others
Swami was distributing gifts of grace and love to everybody. As I told you
earlier, cameras and film were given to us. What is the use in having a camera
without film?
Swami was enquiring of everybody, “Where is your camera?” And He looked at me
and asked, “Where is your camera?” I said, “Swami, You have given me a good
number of cameras; but I have never used a camera before. I don’t know how to
use it.”
Swami laughed and said, “If you don’t know how, ask any boy. They will teach
you. Our students will teach you how to use the camera because all the latest
brands of cameras are available in Puttaparthi.”
When He was distributing items, He said an important thing: “Do you know why I
give? In fact, you have towels, but again I give you towels; you have soaps, but
still I give you soaps. Why? The reason is to let you know that whatever you
give should be useful.”
Suppose I give a computer to the man on the street, what will he do? He will
throw it into the Chitravathi River. A man who is hungry comes to Me and, if I
give him a camera, what will he do? He will break it or break My head. So you
should give that which is useful to others.
“To teach that, I am giving these things,” Swami said.
do not misuse god’s wonderful gifts
The second point He made in regard to gifts was: “All the gifts I give should
not be misused.” My friends, let us spend a minute on this. All that we have are
gifts from God. We should not misuse them. Air is the gift of God. Misuse of air
results in air pollution. Water is a gift of God. Misuse of water results in
water pollution. The mind is a gift of God: to think, to contemplate, to
meditate. Misuse of the mind results in committing bad deeds and sins. The body
is gift of God. Misuse of the body results in many vices and bad habits.
Therefore, when Baba said, “Don’t misuse all that I give you,” it means we
should know their preciousness; we should know their value; we should never
misuse them. That’s how Swami indirectly, subtly, communicated the message.
To sum up again, two things we have to learn: one, to give those things that are
useful to others; and two, to not misuse the gifts of God.
THE world is a projection of our mind
Then somebody said, “Swami, my mind is a monkey mind. I am not able to manage
with my mind. My mind is bringing misery to me. I am not able to control it.
Would You suggest to me a method? Would You please tell me how I am to handle my
monkey mind?”
Swami is like a diamond. As you all know, He gives one interpretation on Monday
and another interpretation on Tuesday. Just as a diamond has so many faces,
Swami’s Divine knowledge is multi-faceted. All facets are true. They are not
contradictory, but complementary. One interpretation represents one dimension of
the subject. Another interpretation presents another dimension of the subject.
When Swami describes the mind as a monkey, what does He mean? Many times He has
said, “Body is a water bubble; mind is a mad monkey.” What does He mean? The
monkey is known for its hyperactive nature. The mind, too, is very unsteady and
restless. Therefore, He has said that the mind is a monkey mind.
But this time, He didn’t say that. If mind is not a monkey, then what is it? A
fellow like me, who thinks he knows all of these points and shares them with
others, gets a sudden shock when I find that Swami has changed His point from
past statements.
“Swami, You said it’s a monkey mind; now you say it’s not a monkey. Then who is
the monkey?”
“It is not a monkey mind; it is mankind.” Now Swami says, “When mind is full of
good and noble thoughts, it will take you to mankind. When it is polluted, it is
monkey mind. So mind as such is beyond such limitations; it is pure and
non-dual.”
Mamo moolam idham jagath: “The whole universe is the making of the mind.” The
whole cosmos is the projection of the mind, says Adi Shankara. We shall study
later what the saint has to say on the mind.
So when you say monkey mind, it only means that the mind is polluted and full of
bad, wavering thoughts. On the other hand, when the mind is full of good
thoughts, it elevates you to the level of mankind. That’s what Bhagavan said.
surrender fully to god to control the mind
But that gentleman did not keep quiet. He asked, “Swami, how do I control the
mind?” It is a good question because he knows enough to know that there is a
need to control the mind. (Some people don’t even understand the need. They
think the mind is everything. But let’s not bother about them.)
Mind has to be put under some check. It has to be controlled. The question is
how to control the mind. Bhagavan said, “If you have the spirit of surrender,
daiva arpita - surrender to God, with that feeling of surrender, you may control
your mind.”
One might ask: How does the feeling of surrender and the control of the mind go
together? How does surrender help control the mind? Swami explains now, “When
you think you are the mind, it is the ego; but when you think the mind is
separate from you, it is surrender. When you think you are the mind, it is ego.”
Therefore, Baba says, only the spirit of surrender will help you control the
mind.
“Swami, please help me develop good thoughts. Swami, help me remove all bad
thoughts. Bhagavan, help me drop this ‘I-ness’, or ego.” By that prayer, through
that spirit of surrender, one can grow beyond himself. One can control the mind;
otherwise it is impossible to control the mind. It is only devotion and
surrender that will help us control the mind; so says Bhagavan Baba.
he is the doer -- You are only his instrument
Then one boy, another PhD student, asked, “Swami, I am staying in the hostel
along with six hundred other students. How can I control my mind? So many people
come to me and disturb me. I talk to so many people. I have to interact with so
many boys in the hostel. How can I control my mind?”
This situation applies equally to all of us. It is a problem with most of us.
How to control the mind, living amidst so many people, with so many jobs and
responsibilities, ups-and-downs, the bumps-and-jumps of daily life. Bhagavan
said, “If you think that you are not the doer, you can know you have controlled
the mind. You are not the doer. Think that God is the doer. He is doing through
you. He is in you. He is everything. You are only an instrument.”
So, through this feeling that you are an instrument in the hands of God and that
He is doing all things all through you, the mind gets controlled on its own. By
moving among the students in the hostel, understand that you are doing your
duty, that’s all. Don’t take things to heart. Don’t become carried away by all
your responsibilities.
Most of us bring home whatever we do in the office, and we create confusion at
home. There will be a ‘Korean war’ at home because the office is transferred or
shifted there. Some people transfer home problems to the office and become a
nuisance to their colleagues. We should know this art of living. We should know
how to live at the office, and we should also know how to live at home. We
should not carry home anything, and we should not take anything out of our
family. When once we develop that ‘I am not the doer’ thought, we will be able
to win over the mind, as explained by Bhagavan.
love him, above all else, to EARN HIS grace
When Swami says you can ask any question, He is in a good mood. You are free to
ask any number of questions. One boy said this, “Swami, is it enough if I am
here in Your company, with You? Is it enough?”
The question put by that boy applies in a broader sense to all of us, because
there are many who think that it is enough if they stay here in Puttaparthi.
There are some who think that if they sit in the bhajan hall, it is enough; or
if they sit at the same place until God removes them and takes them to another
planet, it is enough. There are some people who think it is enough if they boss
people around and shout, as long as they are at the Lord’s Feet. Enough is
enough with such people!
Is it enough just to be in Bhagavan’s company? Bhagavan is not a simple human
being. If He were a human being, He would have said, “It is enough to be with
Me.” But He did not say that. Swami said, “It is not enough if you are with
Swami alone. No, no, something more. Mere association is not enough. You should
earn the grace of God. You should earn My grace.” This applies to all of us. We
may feel that it is enough to be here, but no! It is not.
”Have I earned His grace? Am I the recipient of His grace? Have I received His
grace?” That was the first question to cross my mind when I heard Swami’s reply.
The same boy immediately asked another question, “Swami, how does one earn Your
grace?“ (Laughter) (These are boys in the computer age. In those old days, we
never dared to ask questions. And by the time we came out of class, we forgot
the question itself. But modern boys won’t leave you alone! They will catch you,
and they will come to your house to ask these questions.) So the question is:
“How to earn Your grace, Swami?”
Swami’s reply was this: “Very easy, very easy.”
“Oh, is it so easy to earn God’s grace?”
“Yes.”
“How, Swami?”
“Love – that is enough. If you love God, you will earn His grace. Nothing more.”
Unfortunately, we complicate things because we love complication. People don’t
eat thrice in a week: “O-ho! Alright. Get up at 3 o’clock and do japa. Very
good, and sleep in the class.” (Laughter) We want to strain, exert, and torture
ourselves.
Or somebody will say, “Read this book. Complete it in one day.”
“How can I complete it?” you ask.
“You have to. If you want to have liberation, you should complete this book, all
500 pages, in one day.”
“O-ho!” You should simply turn the pages; that’s all.
And somebody will come and say, “Go around Ganesha temple 108 times.”
“Oh? Morning or evening? “
“Both – 108 times each.” (Laughter)
It is easy to advise. I can tell him, “Go around in the afternoon also.”
(Laughter) And when someone cannot go around 108 times, you say (in a boasting
tone), “Well, I am going around.”
“Oh, you are also going around. Well, I go around Ganesha twice each time, 108
times.”
“Oh. So you are more than me.”
Another fellow says, “No, no, I go around thrice each time, 108 rounds!”
(Laughter)
It goes on like this, like a cricket score. We feel happy to complicate things.
We find some sense of satisfaction in undertaking strenuous, tiresome jobs. But
God is not so unkind as to give us tiresome hard work. We are not casual
labourers.
He simply says, “Love. That is enough.” But we cannot understand it.
Instead, we say, “Ah, why love? No, no, no. Not necessary. I want to feed one
thousand people.” Alright, so what? God is feeding the entire world everyday;
you feed just once a year, and you feel you have done a great thing, but there
is nothing great about it. You are fed by Him, first of all. You think you do
some feeding of the poor, but He feeds you. First, understand that. Therefore,
my friends, it is rather painful that we want to exert and strain ourselves and
make life mechanical.
“No, no,” Swami says, “it is enough if you love.” Love Him more than you love
anybody else. Love Him more than you love yourself. Love Him so that He is the
number one priority in your life. Love Him unconditionally. Love Him such that
you accept whatever He does. Love Him no matter what happens in your life. Just
continue to love Him; that’s enough. That’s how Bhagavan said we earn His grace.
love is never expressed, but felt
One gentleman remarked, “Swami, I am very happy, very happy very happy.” He did
not stop saying that he was happy. He went on repeating, “Very happy.” It
sounded rather odd to me. You can say, “Swami, I am happy.” You don’t need to
say, “Happy, happy, happy!” I wanted to see Swami’s reaction.
Swami said, “True happiness is never said, but felt. Be happy within; don’t say
that you are happy. When you say that you are happy, still you are to experience
true happiness. You are not yet fully happy. When you are fully happy, you
remain in happiness.”
When you are continually happy, you don’t say that you are happy. When you say
that you are happy, it means you are yet to be happy and yet to experience
happiness. Bhagavan said, “Precious things are never expressed. You don’t
express your love. You don’t express your happiness. It is felt in every cell,
in every nerve, in every heartbeat. Love is never expressed; it is felt.” That’s
what Baba said.
perform seva to the best of your ability
Somebody said, “Swami, You are distributing mangoes. Shall I give this mango to
that person?”
Baba said, “I would never ask anybody to give on My behalf. I give directly
Myself because I consider it My duty to give. I feel so happy while giving. I
don’t delegate powers; I don’t ask you to give on my behalf. I give directly.”
Then He turned to everybody and said, “Unless you yourself give directly, you
will not have the full satisfaction of giving. Likewise, the other person will
be most joyful only if he receives directly from Me.”
If Swami gives a laddu directly to me, oh, it is very precious! Cover it up
immediately. Put it in my pocket so that nobody will ask for a share. (Laughter)
If a seva dal gives one, I will break it into a thousand pieces and distribute
them one-by-one. When it comes directly from God, that’s most precious. Swami
said, “Learn to give directly, all by yourself. Don’t delegate powers to
somebody. Don’t ask somebody else to give on your behalf.“
One gentleman innocently asked, not out of any bias, “Swami, will there be a
poor feeding on Eswaramma Day?”
Swami asked, “What? Malli cheppu (meaning, “Repeat again”)?”
“Swami, will there be a poor feeding on Eswaramma Day?”
“Emi English adhi (“What sort of English)? No, no, feeding the poor and not poor
feeding. (Laughter) ‘Poor feeding’ means cheap. ‘Feeding the poor’ is rich.
Understand this. Never say ‘poor feeding’; say ‘feeding the poor’.” That’s how
Bhagavan corrected his English. This is also very important for all of us.
change of work is rest
On another occasion, somebody said, “Swami, You are very tired. You are so busy
from 7 o’clock in the morning and until 12 o’ clock, and again You are back by
2:30. Now it’s 6:30 in the evening and You have been busy all day. Swami, take
some rest. You are very tired.”
Baba said, “I don’t need rest. I don’t desire to take rest. I have no desire to
take rest.” Then Baba turned to the boys and asked, “What is rest?”
One boy said, “Sleeping.” Oh, I see. Another boy said, “Sitting”; another said,
“Not doing anything.” Swami said, “Change of work is rest. You are doing one
form of work and you are tired. Change or shift to another form of work. That is
rest.”
Then He said, “If I take rest, what will happen to you? (Laughter) If I take
rest, who will take care of you? God is never on vacation. God never rests. He
doesn’t desire any.”
Similarly, in our life, we waste most of our time in taking rest, in relaxing.
If we also learn to change the form of work as rest, we will be able to do more
work and render more service to everybody all around us.
god has a personal relationship with his devotees
Then somebody said, “Swami, there are so many miracles happening in my life and
in the lives of people. Why can’t they be published in book form?” This was a
good question!
Baba said, “No, no, it is a matter of Divine romance. It is a matter between Me
and my devotee. I help him; he receives help. I bless him, and he is blessed. It
is a matter between Me and him. It doesn’t need to go to the press. It is not
necessary.”
To add a note or observation here: if we started recording all the experiences
and miracles of each devotee, I don’t think that we would ever be able to finish
writing the book. It would become an infinite number of volumes. Those stories
to be mentioned are beyond count and all measure, and one lifetime would not be
enough to record them. This is the truth. I am sure most of you would agree with
me.
god’s love is the essence of A thousand mothers
I would like to tell you a miracle that happened. One boy had a sprain near his
ankle and he could not walk. Baba went close to him and applied ointment with
His own hands. The boy was very embarrassed. “Swami, you are touching my ankle,
my feet. You are applying ointment, I am so sorry. Please don’t do it.”
Baba said, “When you have pain, when you suffer, won’t your mother apply
ointment to your feet? Won’t your mother serve you, or press your feet? Why not
this mother who has a thousand mothers’ love for you?” That is Swami’s love for
His devotees.
he knows all our actions
One gentleman came there and said, “Swami, let me have padnamaskar.” Baba said,
“You already did it. Why again?”
The man said, “Swami, I just came only now. Why do You say I already did it? No.
Please bless me with this opportunity to do padnamaskar – to touch Your Feet.”
Baba said, “You are coming from Bombay. Before you boarded the airplane flight,
you did padnamaskar to My photo at home. I have already received it. You don’t
have to do it now.” (Laughter)
Whatever is done is registered. There are a few more things to be said to you.
Swami made many references to the Ramayana and Shirdi Sai. Swami mentioned some
episodes related to the history of Meerabai. That we will take up next Sunday.
With that, the Kodai series will come to an end.
Thank you for you time and gracious presence. May Bhagavan bless you! Thank you
very much.
OM…OM…OM…
Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya
Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Part I -
Part II -
Part III |
